Liver 10: Zuwuli ‘Leg Five Miles’

Zuwuli, Leg Five Miles, Liver 10 is a point on the Liver acupuncture channel where it ascends the medial thigh.

I don’t use it much, and if I do, it’s mainly to back up other points on the channel or to emphasise the aim of my treatment.

Location

• Zuwuli is 1 cun inferior to Liver 11 Yinlian, anterior to the adductor longus muscle in the thigh.
• Find the adductor longus muscle by asking your patient to spread wide his/her legs. The large tendon/muscle that is most obvious on the medial surface is the adductor longus muscle. The point lies just anterior to it.
• Put another way, it is 3 cun inferior to Stomach 30, anterior to the adductus longus muscle.
• NB Be careful not to pierce the femoral artery which lies anterior to the point.

Needling Liver 10

Perpendicularly or obliquely to the skin surface, up to 1.5 cun.

Needle Sensation at Liver 10

Needling Liver 10 produces a local distending sensation that may extend towards the knee. A mild ‘moving’ sensation may be felt in the hypochondria on the same side as the needle.

Moxibustion

Moxa: up to 5x. However, before doing so, be aware of the main function of the point, see below, to clear Heat (and Damp).

Moxa here might be counter-productive.

Actions of Zuwuli

• Some similarity to Liver 9 in its action
• Regulates the lower Jiao (the abdominal area inferior to the umbilicus)
• Better at clearing Damp-Heat than Damp-Cold with conditions such as:

• … urine retention, painful urination
• … eczema  or itching of the genitals
• … swollen testes
• … distension in the abdomen
• … sleepiness
• … sinus (in the face/head) pain and inflammation
• Eases local pain in the thigh, such as on the Liver or Gallbladder channels 

Comment on Liver 10

As mentioned, this point is not much used – at least by me! Perhaps that’s because I don’t see many cases of Damp-Heat in the genitals or with urine retention or pain nowadays. (I’ve no doubt they exist, but people in Scotland with those conditions usually expect their Doctor to manage such a condition with medication.)

Click here to find out about the Liver’s functions in Chinese medicine

Click to find out about the liver organ in WESTERN medicine

For points along the Liver channel, click below: